ABSTRACT
Macroscopic and microscopic examination of organs and tissues after death can provide important information for the family of the deceased and the doctors that had been attending the patient in life. Understanding why a person died may play a role in the bereavement process for the family and confirming the nature and extent of the disease process is vital for understanding the pathology, continuing medical education, and assessing the accuracy of imaging methods. Historically the examination of the dead has been the leading method of learning anatomy and pathology and this continues in a more limited form today.
